The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-04-07
THERAILW WAYS
Yesterdays Proceedings Before
the Interstate Commerce Com
Observation-Disclosures.
Appearance of Several Prominent
Railway Representatives Be-
fore the Commission.

WASHINGTON, April 5.-The interstate commits
sioners have eelected as permanent quarters the
fifth floor OF the sun building
Col. MOrthinotOn, general counsel for the Rich
mond and DanYhle railroad system, and Major
Shellman, traffic manager of the Central Railro ad
and Banking company, of Georgia, and Vice-Presi-
dent of the Louisville and Nashville road, ap-
peared this morning, each in behalf of
his own corporation, to file the necessary
formal petitions for relief In each case the
purpose of the petitioners is to secure the suspen
sion OF the operations of the long and short haul
feature of the law for the present, and until the
committee can give hearing upon each speclnc
Congressman Butterworth, accompanied by Cap.
tain J I. StocdAle, of the Pittsburg q Cincinnati
Steambont company, Captain Gus Horshell, of the
Big Sandy Louisville mail line, and Captain H. w,
Wise, OF the Memphis 81 Cincinnati Packet COM
pany appeared before the committee as repre-
sentatives Of the silver interests"
IIr. Butt rworth, as spokesman of the delega-
ton, addressed the commission. lie maintained
thst the railroads we're agencies of the govern
ment and that the powers conferred upon them
we're conferred BY all citizens, and hence should
agsinet another The present tendency was to
produce great aeg,egations of people in large
citiee, because the corporate agencies of the gov
ernment gave special privileges to favored points,
taxing localities for the benefit of others. 1t
was Nnot FOR the public good that
1t should be so. If one desired
to start factory at intermediate point it could
not now be done; not because the government
agencies would tax 1t in the way of transportation
charges for the purpose of driving out competition
The men who carry freight upon the great national
h1ghways--the rivers, have no power OF this kind.
They could not foreatall the markets. If one chose
10 charge XhOrhtant rates, another would enter
2Epon the anne line IN competition. The railroads
now ask authority TO fix rates which will drive the
boats from the rivers Their charges were
not to be fixed in accordance with
any Systematic adjustment of rates, but matter
Of competition, in which one party or the other
must 90 under There were classes of goods-and
Wgull hA-yyhich wOul0
spective of rates or competing lines. He noticed
by reports laid before the commission by some of
the roads, that their through traffic was only 20
per cent Of the total traffic. Now, what proper
ton would they lose if compelled to adopt uniform
rates? In his opinion it would he inconsiderahle.
Touching the local trade are men whose ship
ments were ont carload, was compelled to pay
fourth-clase rates, while larger shipper of the
same sort of material shipping hundreds OF car
loads, was given rates of the fifth-class, and
reaped advantages from this discrimination which
had tendency TO crush out small shippers. In
his opinion, il was the purpose of the law to pre-
vent these determinations which foster great ag-
gregations and tend to the production of gullivers
and pigmies.
Mr.. Smith, vice president of the Louisville &
Nashville road said that, lar the Southern
sociation was concerned, there was no discrimina,
ton in favor Of the large cities. The managers of
rail- Dads recognized that it was not their interest
to eentrazs business and trade.
Mr. George x Blanchard, chairman of the Cen
trail Tratice association, appeared and addressed
TIVE commission briefly in behalf of the Michigan
railroad seting forth the circumstances which led
TO the establishment of lower through rates from
Milwaukee across the lake, and thence across the
state of Michigan, than could be given for local
traffic, by season of all railway competition via
Chicago. These roads asked permission to main
tain local rates irrespective of through rates until
such time as the commissioners shall be able to
take the peculiar circumstances and situation into
consideration
gSha razarts. general freight agent Of the
Indianapolis, Decatur u Springfield railroad, ap-
piled by letter fotthe privilege of charging less on
grain and other traffic received from connecting
linee at tine junction than we make from our local
stsions. He says, for example, that the local
rate from Tuscoa, Illinois, to Indianapolis,
10 . cents, and the rate from Indianapolis to New
York is % cents, making 30 cents from Tuscola to
New York The rates of other roads are 27a
cents and if this road participates in the conect-
ing line business, IL must reduce rates by 4 cents.
AID. smith, general passenger agent of the
Piueburg n Lake Erie railroad, has presented a
petition asking that The long and short haul pro-
yision be waived for the present, as regards the
transportation of passengers between Pittsburg and
New York The line is longer than the Pennsylva-
ala route with which itis in competition, and to get
small portion OF the passenger traffic. has put
down rates TO $3.50 for second class, and 50 5O for
first class, as 6-a ust S1.5O by the pennsylvania
ronte
r A. Anderson, superintendent of the western
a. glantie Railroad company, extending from At
lantic to Chattanooga, petitions to be relieved
from the operation Of the fourth section, and to
charge less TOR l0uge than for shorter haul to,
from and through Atlanta, Rome, and Chattanooga
and Intermediate u3ints in order for said company
80 meet water competition at Rome, Chattanooga,
Montgomery and Augusta.